A systems architect is responsible for the design of complex network and database systems that support a company’s daily functions and activities. As a systems architect, your duties are to study your company’s use cases, design computer network systems that meet those needs, optimize existing systems architecture, troubleshoot and fix issues, and collaborate with other systems architects and software engineers on project development and implementation. Your work includes system servers, databases, software applications, and more. You need a strong computer engineering background to be an effective systems architect.